‘Green’ restaurant takes root in The Woodlands

Published 5:00 am, Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ruggles Green in The Woodlands is the business’s fifth location in the Greater Houston.

Ruggles Green in The Woodlands is the business’s fifth location in the Greater Houston.

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The bread at Ruggles Green is made to order in The Woodlands.

The bread at Ruggles Green is made to order in The Woodlands.

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Manager Joseph Garcia holds two of Ruggles Green's signature dishes at the business’s new site in The Woodlands off Research Forest Drive Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Manager Joseph Garcia holds two of Ruggles Green's signature dishes at the business’s new site in The Woodlands off Research Forest Drive Tuesday, Jan. 27.

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Turkey MeatballsStaff photo by Jason Fochtman

Turkey MeatballsStaff photo by Jason Fochtman

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Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

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Goat Cheese Salad

Goat Cheese Salad

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Ruggles Green, which recently opened in The Woodlands, serves a variety of foods, including the All-natural Ham and Bacon Wood-fired Pizza.

Ruggles Green, which recently opened in The Woodlands, serves a variety of foods, including the All-natural Ham and Bacon Wood-fired Pizza.

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High-Protein Hemp Brownie

High-Protein Hemp Brownie

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Ruggles Green, which recently opened in The Woodlands, serves a variety of foods, including the Steak and Cheese Panini and home-cooked fries.

Ruggles Green, which recently opened in The Woodlands, serves a variety of foods, including the Steak and Cheese Panini and home-cooked fries.

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‘Green’ restaurant takes root in The Woodlands

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It may not be easy being green, but Ruggles Green — a Houston-based casual dining restaurant — makes it their mission.

The chain — which just opened its fifth restaurant location in The Woodlands — calls itself “the greenest restaurants in Texas” because of their dedication to sustainability in all aspects of the business.

Their food is made with local and organic ingredients, they recycle or compost everything they use, from paper and plastic to glass and metal, they use water-saving devices and their electricity comes from a combination of wind and solar power.

Even the decor is about as green as it gets, with live plants throughout the store and a vine starting to work its way up the wall.

But just because the store is so green doesn’t mean it only serves rabbit food.

The menu offers a wide variety of dishes, including soups, paninis, burgers, salads, wood-fired pizzas and a selection of desserts.

Some popular items include the Ruggles Green Goat Cheese Salad, the All-natural Ham and Bacon Pizza, the Steak and Cheese Panini and the High-Protein Hemp Brownie.

Each store has its own chef, who is given the freedom to personalize the menu with his or her own recipes. And since everything is made to order, almost all of the dishes can be customized for specific dietary concerns. Three quarters of the menu can be made gluten free.

Even the soda machine — instead of Coca-Cola or Pepsi products — serves Maine Root soda, which is fair trade certified and made with organic sweetener.

The Woodlands location is the largest of the Ruggles Green restaurants, and it features an outdoor patio with heating and fans.

The restaurant has already picked up quite a following in just the three weeks since it opened, with the line reaching the door during peak hours.

“The Woodlands is up and coming,” said Store Manager Joseph Garcia. “Ruggles Green offers a different product ... a really good product ... once you taste it, you’ll see it.”

Ruggles Green in The Woodlands, at 2501 Research Forest Blvd., will celebrate its grand opening from 6-10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12. The event is $15 per person and will benefit The Woodlands Grass Roots Environmental Education Network.